And Then You Were There
by chasing tomorrow
Summary: .sasuxsaku. He hated how she could still love him. And how he might, just maybe, be falling for her.


**And Then You Were There**  
One-Shot

-00-

_When you're young you have this image of your life  
And you make boundaries you'd never dream to cross_

-01-

There comes a time in one's life when one has to make a life-changing decision, whether it regards career, friends, or outward appearance. One is afraid, constantly afraid, of this decision because it is something unexpected, something new.

But it wasn't for her. It was what she had been expecting since the moment she laid eyes on him.

"Will you marry me?" he whispered.

-02-

He watched her emotionlessly as she smoothed the front of her flowing white dress, twisting a little to the side to admire how well it clung to her curves. A small smile crept to her face, illuminating her stunning green eyes.

"How do I look?" she asked him, watching his reflection in the mirror through the corner of her eye.

"Hn."

A pregnant silence.

"Fine," he breathed reluctantly, turning his gaze from the mirror in an attempt to avoid her eyes. He could never compliment her when her eyes were fixated on his.

She pursed her lips in slight frustration and slight satisfaction, shrugged, and ran her perfectly manicured fingers through her luscious hair. It wasn't like he was supposed to mean anything to her.

In fact, now that she thought about it, they had not even been on a date before. Only the occasional trip with Naruto to the ramen stall, where they avoided making physical contact at all costs, which was difficult considering the fact that Naruto always forced them to sit side-by side. The Uchiha prodigy would sit stiffly, straight-backed, with a stony emotionless expression. Sometimes, she would have to clutch her seat with both hands in an effort to not touch him, to not disturb his artificial, peaceful bubble, because she knew he didn't want her to touch him.

He was afraid, afraid of things no one else but she knew.

At this thought, she bit her bottom lip lightly, running her teeth back and forth across it. He glared at her in the mirror. He knew; she was thinking about his regrets.

He regretted wanting her, asking for her hand in marriage. He hated himself for stealing away her promising future and replacing it with a bleak, miserable one with himself. He loathed how she had come back into his embrace after his betrayal and scorn.

He hated how she could still love him.

And how he might, just maybe, be falling for her.

Without warning, she turned away from the reflection of him to face the real Sasuke Uchiha. He was slightly taken aback by her unexpected, sharp movement, but held his collected, stoic stance.

"You don't have to be ashamed, you know," she whispered to him, partly in anger, partly in pain.

He looked at her indifferently.

Sighing, she dropped her gaze from his handsome face and quietly walked past him. "Your tie's crooked," she murmured.

-03-

She was walking down the aisle of every girl's dreams, but she didn't feel that the scene was anywhere near surreal. It was fake; it was real; it was lifeless. The air was stifling and threatening.

_Why are you doing this to yourself?_

_Because… he needs me_.

Around her, she could hear the incessant murmuring of people who didn't understand. People who thought she was doing the wrong thing; people who thought she was blind.

She reached him after an eternity of walking in those strappy, stiletto heels, and he took her gloved hand. A shock passed through her, causing her to shiver involuntarily and pause in distress. A quick, annoyed look from him woke her immediately and together, they climbed the three steps to the podium.

The vows were said, the "I do's" were proclaimed, and the groom was allowed to kiss the bride.

He didn't. He simply turned his head in the action, obscuring the audience from seeing the connection, and glared straight into her emerald irises, lips mere millimeters from her skin. As a mechanical, relieved applause set in, he released her eyes and drew back, sweeping the crowd with his infamous smirk.

He let go of her hand.

-04-

_I don't feel that I deserve the sunshine's rays  
But I will fight for you, be sure that I will fight_

-05-

His regrets, her sacrifices were mentioned only during strained, absolutely necessary conversations. They were forsaken topics that were precariously avoided and untouched until a fine layer of dust enveloped them. They were distant, but understanding of one another. They were never embarrassed before the other or visibly angry at the other, because they trusted each other.

Sakura watched the snow floating gracefully to the powdery ground and sipped her warm cup of coffee. Sasuke sat next to her, scanning the newspaper, expression void. Other than the occasional clink of Sakura's ceramic cup meeting the cold granite counter, the only other sound was their synchronized breathing as they gradually settled into a mutual rhythm.

They could sit like this for hours, perhaps for days on end, without a word passed.

"Sasuke…" she said, as if to the wall, but gently placing her hand on his all the same. "What comes after the snow?"

"Water."

"No…" She paused, considering her own answer. "Spring. Happiness."

He jerked his head toward her a fraction of a centimeter, but did not bother to shake off her touch. His other hand balled into a fist while holding the newspaper. She didn't notice, as always.

"Sasuke, sometimes, I like to think that you're winter and I'm summer. All we have to do is meet each other halfway."

Silence.

"You know…" She turned toward him, placing her cup on the freezing stone. "I think we're both making this too hard. We're young. We have choices. We have opportunities. You can stop regretting us. I'm not regretting this."

She squeezed his hand, asking for response. "Please."

"Sakura," he replied, eyes no longer wandering the large expanse of words. They sat for several quiet minutes as he formulated an answer and tried to resist responding to her touch. "You know we're impossible. I'm… I don't know what to do."

He met her eyes. His eyes were those of a child, without direction, fearful of the unknown. Her irises were serene, understanding, accepting.

They were opposites, but they learned how to meet each other halfway.

Very slowly, he raised both of his calloused hands to her arms, submitting reluctantly. He leaned in, but she knew he wasn't trying to place a kiss on her lips. Instead, he brought his nose to her exposed collarbone, lightly running it up and down on her smooth skin. Finally he came to a rest at the hollow of it, resting his head against her chest so he could hear her heartbeat.

It was barely there, concealed, hidden away from the outside world, shielded from his greedy, cold hands.

-06-

_When we would only need each other, we'd bleed together  
Our hands would not be taught to hold another's_

-07-

"Sasuke?" She embraced him from behind.

"Hn." He struggled to keep his arms still at his sides.

"I don't know if I can do this," she confessed, laying her head on his back, closing her eyes and savoring his smell.

He allowed her to rest on him, bringing his arms up hesitantly to her clasped hands at his waist.

"Sakura…" He never knew what to say to make it better.

Without a real plan of action, he gently pried her fingers apart, feeling her sharp intake of breath as he unwound her thin arms from his torso.

"Sakura…" he repeated when he heard her beginning to whimper.

He turned to her, nearly losing his breath as he rediscovered her beauty, her amazing eyes, her strawberry scented hair. Awkwardly, he brought his thumb to her eyes, wiping away the coming tears.

He did not think he could ever stand to see her cry.

He brushed his fingertips beneath her pointed chin, testing her reaction. Very slowly, deliberately, he tipped her chin up with his slender fingers so her eyes found his. Confused emerald irises flickered back and forth, afraid, yet hopeful, of the ebony orbs gazing back at her.

"We can try, Sakura," he murmured, the words sliding over his tongue like soap bubbles.

"What if we're too late?" she asked in fear, grasping his free wrist. It sent small shocks through his arm.

"It's never too late."

"But we haven't even…"

_Begun_.

He pulled her closer in a swift, graceful motion, positioning her lips so close to his that she could feel his icy breath washing over face.

"But we never ended either."

Closing the distance, they met each other in a chaste kiss. Delicate, fleeting, beautiful. She broke it first, slowly withdrawing, searching his eyes for regret.

She met none.

Trembling slightly, hesitating, she leaned into him, and he embraced her easily, as she buried her face into his strong neck and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Don't leave me," she asked, pleaded of him, against the soft skin of the base of his neck.

He tightened his hold on her, refusing to relinquish this moment.

"I won't."

-08-

Notes: Sorry. I needed to write this (: Review please?


End file.
